Tubular conduits



July 21, 1959 r. REBUT 2,895,510

TUBULAR CONDUITS Filed June 27, 1955 J. rf/72# United States Patent O W TUBULAR CONDUITS Paul Rebut, Tarare, France Application June 27, 195'5, Serial No. 518,301

Claims priority, application France June 25, 1954 3 Claims. (Cl. 13S-54) The present invention relates to tubular conduits formed from flexible material and having stilfening means.

According to one of its aspects `the invention provides a conduit comprising a tubular sheath formed of flexible material and means including a set of longitudinal reinforcing members and a set of separate circumferential reinforcing members for stilfening the sheath.

According to another of its aspects the invention provides a conduit comprising a tubular sheath formed of flexible material and means for stitfening the sheath.

According to a further aspect the invention provides a conduit comprising a tubular sheath formed of exible material, having inflatable pockets which, when inliated, provide means for stiffening the sheath.

The accompanying drawing shows, by way of non-limitative example, two embodiments of the invention. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of a tubular conduit in which lateral tubular elongated members are located outside circular stays;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the above arrangement;

Fig. 3 shows a dilerent form of tubular conduit comprising elongated reinforcing members located inside circular stays and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the arrangement shown in Fig. 3.

Referring to Figs. l and 2, in lthe sheath 1 'which forms the tubular conduit there are formed longitudinal tubular guides or projecting means 2 and annular tubular guides or projecting means 3. The guides 2 may be distributed at intervals along the length of the conduit 1 as shown or they may be continuous. In the latter case bracing elements 4 can be easily inserted through the `end openings in the longitudinal guides. In the same 'way each annular guide 3 has an opening for the insertion of a split circular member 5 which forms a transverse stay.

The longitudinal guides 2 and the annular guides 3 are formed on the loom in the `course of weaving a Woven conduit or are formed by the use of an adhesive in the case of a tubular conduit formed from a film of synthetic material.

Bracing elements 4 may be formed from tubes, rods or wires of metal or any other material located in the longitudinal guides 2. The split circular stays 5 are inserted in the annular guides 3 by pushing in one of their ends.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, the formation of the longitudinal guides 2 inwards of the annular guides 3 permits the bracing elements 4 to be disposed inside the circular stays 5.

It is also proposed to obtain circular rigidity of the tubular conduit 1 by providing in the longitudinal guides Z and the annular guides 3 inflatable pockets or chambers located next to each other in said guides which can be inflated with lair by means of a network of tubes connecting the pockets.

Alternatively the longitudinal tubular guides 2 and the annular tubular guides 3 can be formed so as to be air- 2,895,510 Patented July 21, 1959 tight. They can then themselves be used as air chambers which can be inflated.

It is obvious that the devices described can be modified in their constructional details in any appropriate manner in order to car-ry the invention into effect.

I claim:

l. A tubular conduit means, comprising, in combination, a flexible tubular member having an inner tubular surface and an outer tubular surface; a lirst set of tubular projecting means spaced in longitudinal direction of said tubular member and projecting from one of said surfaces thereof; a second set of tubular projecting means spaced in longitudinal direction of said tubular member and projecting from the other of said surfaces thereof, each of said tubular projecting means of one of said sets being located in planes transverse to the axis of said tubular member and the tubular projecting means of the other of said sets being located in radial planes passing through the axis of said tubular member; a plurality of annular reinforcing members, respectively located in said projecting means of said one set; and a plurality of elongated reinforcing members respectively located in said projecting means of said other set, whereby said ilexible tube is supported longitudinally and circumferential'ly.

2. A tubular conduit means, comprising, in combination, a llexible tubular member having an inner tubular surface and an outer tubular surface; a plurality of longitudinal tubular projecting means spaced from each other from one of said surfaces of said flexible tubular member in longitudinal direction thereof; a plurality of annular tubular projecting means spaced from each other from the other of said surfaces of said flexible tubular member, transverse to the axis thereof and extending each circumferentially about said tubular member; a plurality of elonlgated reinforcing members respectively located in said longitudinal tubular projecting means; and a plurality of annular reinforcing members respectivelyl located in said annular tubular projecting means, whereby said flexible tubular member is supported longitudinally and circum ferentially.

3. A tubular conduit means, comprising, in combination, a flexible tubular member having an inner tubular surface and an outer tubular surface; a plurality of lon gitudinal tubular projecting means distributed about the circumference of said tubular member and spaced from each other from one of said surfaces of said flexible tubular member and extending respectively in longitudinal direction substantially over the whole length of said liexible tubular member; a plurality of annular tubular projecting means spaced from each other from the other of said surfaces of said flexible tubular member, transverse to the axis thereof and each extending circumferentially about said tubular member; a plurality of elongated reinforcirrg members respectively located in said longitudinal tubular projecting means; and a plurality of annular reinforcing members respectively located in said annular tubular projecting means, whereby said flexible tubular member is supported longitudinally and circumferentially.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,802,414 Evans Apr. 28, 1931 2,097,663 Hersey et al. Nov. 2, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS 572,844 Germany Mar. 2, 1933 706,607 France June 27, 1931 721,430 France Mar. 3, 1932 770,522 France .lune 15, 1933 1,014,439 France Aug. 14, 1952 

